Page 74 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

The Royal Secret

Maddison

It’s been two days since Drew chased after me, and Finn and River helped me escape him, which has basically been two days of torture where I’m constantly worrying if Drew followed us back to the academy.

Even though River checked the security cameras a dozen times to ensure Drew wasn’t lurking in the shadows around the building, I was still nervous and still am today.

It’d be a pain for him to enter the academy building, but that doesn’t make me any less uneasy. For starters, I have to go outside, not only because the campus consists of disconnected buildings but also because I have practice with River, which is what I’m doing right now.

“You’re thinking about that guy again, aren’t you?” River asks as we jog down the road that stretches outside the campus.

“Huh?” I blink at him. I have sunglasses on, but the sunlight is nearly blinding, even through the shades.

A frown forms at River’s pretty lips, but everything about River is pretty. His dark hair usually hangs in his eyes, except he pulled it out of his face this morning. His stormy eyes are intense to look at. He’s taller and has a lean body carved with muscles that can sometimes be distracting. And he never wears a shirt when we’re running, so they’re on display quite frequently.

“You’re distracted,” he remarks, “because you’re thinking about that guy. What’s his name? Drew?”

I release a slow breath. “I’m just nervous that he somehow followed us back to the academy the other day.”

“Even if he was waiting outside of my parents’ building, we switched cars, so how could he know it was us who left?”

“I know. And in the logical side of my brain, I know he probably didn’t follow us. But there’s also this other side of my brain—my north-sider side—that’s telling me there’s a chance he’s creeping around in the bushes right here, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.”

River glances at the bushes lining the slightly inclined road. “It’d be hard for him to know we’d be out here this morning, though.”

“But still … what if he is?”

His gaze lands back on mine. “Maddy, you need to focus on running, or else you won’t do well.”

He’s right.

“Okay, I’ll focus,” I assure him, hoping my brain will match my words.

We begin to quicken our pace as the road dips downward. The thuds of our footsteps hitting the asphalt is the only sound until we near the main road at the bottom of the hill.

When we arrive at the bottom, River slows to a stop and presses a button on his watch.

I stop beside him. “Why’d we stop?”

“Because we’re doing hill climbs,” he tells me with his hands on his hips.

I crinkle my nose. “Out of all the workouts, hill climbs are my least favorite.”

“Mine, too. A lot of people hate them, but they’re important.” He brings his knee to his chest. We really need to get you a watch to keep track of your times.”

I snort a laugh as I stretch my leg out in front of me and lean over. “Oh, River, you silly, silly guy. North-siders don’t use watches to track our time.”

“What do you use then?”

“A clock, usually. Or a stopwatch. Unless we’re at the races, then we get to use the timers on the track.”

He gapes at me. “Then, how the hell do you know your pace, mile times, heart rate?”

“We don’t.” I straighten and stretch out my other leg, but then I pause at his hesitant look. What’s up? Why are you looking at me like that?”

He switches legs. “I was just thinking that maybe I could get you a watch so that we?—”

“No,” I cut him off. “I mean, thanks for the offer, but I don’t want you buying me anything. The hangover burger was the only exception to that.” When he merely stares at me, I add, “What? I don’t want handouts, okay? That’s not what this is about.”

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